New Carlisle’s 11th-annual Heritage of Flight Festival is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 2, 3, and 4, with familiar attractions such as the airplane parade and chair races set to return, along with two new additions.
Local Firefighter/Chaplain Jerry Meddock approached festival organizers last year about hosting a Blessing Of The Badges event at this year’s festival. The Blessing of the Badges will occur on Sunday, October 4 on the main stage at 3 p.m., with all first responders invited to attend. A ceremony in recognition of local first responders as well as a prayer that they all are safe in their duties will be conducted.
Also new this year is the opportunity for youngsters in grades k-12 to create a boxcar airplane and walk it through the parade procession. As usual, the parade of planes will be held on Saturday morning at 11, preceded by a parachute jump by Fastrax Diving Team. Festival President said Amber Timmons pitched the boxcar plane idea to the committee this year and that it was very well-received.
Lowrey also noted that live caricatures and cartoon drawings by Dan Foster will return again on Friday and Sunday afternoons, and the Flight Pageant Crowning Ceremony is set for Friday night. Applications for the Flight Pageant are still being accepted by visiting heritageofflight.com.
Impact Bethel will replace the Sertoma Club and host a pancake breakfast at the United Methodist Church on Saturday morning from 7 to 10, and the 5K Run/Walk will commence at 8:30 a.m.
Lowrey said the popular car show begins at 4 p.m. on Friday evening, but noted that if the weather is nice, “everyone will start showing up around noon.”
On Sunday, the crowd favorite, Jim Slanker’s Memorial Chair Races will begin at 1 p.m. near the main stage, as participants push each other up and down the street on stuffed recliners and easy chairs.
Acknowledging the cold and wind that plagued last year’s festival Lowrey said that organizers were optimistically anticipating fairer weather this year.
Lowrey said he believed the festival was a “centerpiece” in New Carlisle, saying the event has established itself in the past 11 years enough to become a much-anticipated event every year.
